Presser foot



Oct. 13, 1942. M. INGWER 2,298,296

7 I PRESSER FOOT Filed Jan. 24, 1941 INVENTOR. 1m bvgwer,

Mimi

ATTORNEX Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNlTED STATES ATENT OFFICE PRESSER FOOT Application January 24, 1941, Serial No. 375,714

16 Claims.

The invention herein disclosed relates to the structure of presser feet for sewing machines, particularly to those of the split and edge foot" types.

Objects of the invention are to provide a split presser foot assembly attachable and detachable as a single unit and having a yielding toe, serving as an edge guide, readily removable for substitution of different width guides, repair or cleaning purposes; which will be protected against the catching and wedging of the thread between the separate toe sections of the foot and which will be protected further against the entrance of lint into the space necessarily allowed for the movement of the yielding presser toe.

Other desirable objects and the novel features of the invention are hereafter set forth and will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrates certain possible commercial forms of the invention. The structure however may be modified and changed as regards this particular disclosure, all within the true intent of the invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims.

Fig. 1 is a broken and partly sectioned side view of the presser foot embodying features of the invention.

Fig.- 2 is a back View of the presser foot partly in section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view as on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a broken view from the front and as on the section line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the substitute or interchangeable presser toes, the companion relatively fixed toe and the needle indicated in broken lines.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the yielding presser toe.

Fig. 7 is a broken cross-sectional detail view of the last identified form of yielding toe in operative position.

Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the thread guard.

Fig. 9 is a broken detail of a modification and Fig. 10 a section on line II!III of Fig. 9.

In the embodiments of the invention here illustrated, the presser foot body It, carries the forwardly projecting rigid and yielding toes II and I2.

The latter is guided for vertical yielding movement by having a laterally offset vertical extenin a vertically extending groove [4, in the side of the foot. A cover plate I5, removably secured by screws I6, confines the guide extension I3, in this relation and serves as part of a means for limiting the extent of downward movement of the movable resser toe.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the guide extension I3, is shown as having an outwardly angled upper end portion I1, engageable with the upper edge of the cover plate I5, to limit the downward extension of the movable toe.

In the second form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the vertical guide extension I3, has a slot I8, to receive a pin I8, projecting from the side of the foot to limit and determine the extent of vertical movement of the movable toe.

A spring 20 is provided to yieldingly thrust the movable toe downwardly and this same spring is utilized in the present instance, to rock the foot into the desired normal angular relation on the lower end of the shank 2|.

Figs. 1 and 2 show how the foot is formed with a front to rear channel 22, across the top of the same to receive the lower parallel-sided portion 23, of the shank and how the cross pin 24, pivotally secures the foot in such relation.

These views also show the shank as having a cavity 25, in the lower end .of the same, providing a seat for the upper end of the spring and the foot as having a passage 26, (Fig. 3), in the bottom of the top channel 22, through which the spring extends freely into engagement with the seat or shelf 21, at the bottom of the foot.

Figs. 2 and 3, show how the inner edge of the movable toe is in register with and comes beneath the lower end of the spring at 28, so that said spring, in the lowered position of the toe can exert pressure on both the pivoted foot and on the movable toe. The cooperating stops I'I, I5, in Fig. 2 and I8, I9, Fig. '7, may be so designed that the spring will bear evenly on both the foot and on the yielding toe in the fully lowered or extended position of the latter.

To limit the extent of rocking movement imparted to the foot by the spring, the shank and foot are shown in Fig. 1 as having coacting stops 29, 30, engaging at a position of the foot approx imately at right angles to the shank.

To prevent thread carried by the needle 3I, entering and wedging between the toes, a special guard is provided, shown as consisting of a U- shaped strip 32, having an angularly projecting lug 33, engaged over the top of the fixed toe and sion I3, at the outer edge of the same engaged '5 so secured by screw 34, in posit-ion closingthe gap between the toes, about the back of the needle.

As shown in Fig. 3, the opposing faces of the toes may have insets 35, 36, to receive the opposite substantially parallel side portions of the U-shaped guard.

J The thread guard 32, is thus rigidly secured to and carried by the fixed toe and may have a light sliding engagement with the side of the vertically yielding toe. If desired, this U-shaped guard may be of spring material, so as to have a light tensioned contact with the movable toe.

4 To prevent lint from entering and collecting in the shoe in back of the movable toe, a guard flange 3'1, is shown extending upwardly from the top of the toe at a point to slidingly engage the front face of the shoe and thus to constitute a sliding closure over the front end of the frontto-rear guide channel 38, in the bottom of the shoe, in which the bottom and rearward portion of the toe is slidingly confined.

While the sliding guard 31, will normally prevent lint from collecting in the guide channel for the yielding toe and hence to a large extent at least obviate any need for cleaning the parts, access may be readily had to the interior of the device, for cleaning or other purposes by simply removing the two screws l6, holding the cover plate in place and which permits complete removal of the yielding toe and access to the spring, etc.

This ready removability of the yielding presser toe is of particular advantage in enabling the ready substitution of toes of different widths for locating edge seams at different distances from the edge of the material being stitched.

Figs. 4 and '7 in particular illustrate this feature, it being noted that the wider toe in Fig. 4, locates the guide edge 39, closer to the needle than the narrower form of toe shown in Fig. 7, the first thus providing for a narrower seam than that determined by the second.

By providing a series of interchangeable different width presser toes, a single presser foot may be utilized for stitching seams at different desired distances from the edge of the guided material.

While designed particularly as an edge. foot, the device, because of the full yieldability of the toe, may be utilized equally as well for plain stitching.

The device consists of but few simple parts, and these all readily accessible for cleaning, repair or substitution of parts. The relatively movable parts are protected both against accumulation of lint and against the catching of thread or the like.

The assembly as a whole is quickly attachable to or removable from the presser bar. This is made possible in the structure shown by forming the shank 2|, with a vertical groove 40, to fit snugly over the side of the presser bar M, and by providing a single screw 42, for detachably securing it in such relation.

The location of the guide bar l3, at the outer edge of the toe leaves ample space within the outlines of the foot for the use of a spring of as large diameter as may be desirable and the relatively wide fiat shape of this bar assures free vertical sliding movement and holds the toe against any twisting or turning tendencies.

While the foot is fully closed at the front against entry of lint or catching of thread, or the like, it is preferably fully open at the back as indicated in Fig. 3 and for the full vertical extent that might be required for removal and replacement of a broken spring. In the structure illustrated, the channel 22, in the top of the foot is open at the rear the full vertical extent of the same and the spring 20 is thus exposed a considerable portion of its intermediate length, so that it can be readily grasped for removal and replacement purposes, without disassembling any parts.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the cover plate I5 is permanently secured by rivets 43, M, and the yielding presser toe is removably retained by a screw 45, passing through slot IS, in the guide bar of the toe into a screw seat 46, in the body of the foot. The permanently secured cover plate is shown as having an opening 41, freely receiving the slotted end portion of the screw. The rivet 43 is shown located in the position and serving the purpose of the pivot pin 24.

What is claimed is:

1. A split presser foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes spaced for the passage of a needle and a guard between the toes for preventing thread catching between the two and comprising an arched member extending unbrokenly from in front of the needle at one side around the back of the needle and forwardly to a position in advance of the needle at the opposite side.

2. A split presser foot having relatively rigid and yielding toes, spaced for passage of the needle, a substantially U-shaped thread guard disposed in the space between said rigid and yielding toes, with the arch of the same bridging said space between the toes and means for supporting said U-shaped guard, so positioned between said toes.

3. A split presser foot having relatively rigid and yielding toes and a substantially U-shaped thread guard and means for supporting said thread guard on the rigid toe in position with the arch of the same bridging the space between the toes.

4. A split presser foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes and a substantially U-shaped thread guard interposed in the space between the toes and carried by one of said toes in position with the arch of the same completely bridging the space between the toes.

5. A split presser foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes and a thread guard bridging the space between the toes and having an angled lug secured to one of said toes.

6. A split presser foot, comprising in combination with a shank for attachment to a presser bar, a foot pivotally attached to said shank and provided with a fixed toe, a yielding toe removably mounted for vertical movement in said foot, a spring bearing against said shank and thrusting downwardly on said pivoted foot and against said yielding toe, and readily releasable means for removably securing said yielding toe in position in said foot and said pivotally mounted foot having a shelf at the bottom on which said spring will remain seated when said yielding toe is removed.

7. A presser foot having a shank for attachment to a presser bar, a foot pivotally attached to said shank and provided with a fixed toe, a yielding toe movably mounted in the foot, a spring interposed between the lower end of the shank and the foot and having a bearing on the yielding toe for depressing the latter, said yielding toe having a wide flat vertical extension at the outer edge of the same and means for slidingly guiding and removably retaining said extension in said presser foot.

8. A presser foot comprising a shank having a spring seat in the lower end of the same, a foot having a channeled top portion engaged over the lower end of the shank, a stud pivotally connecting said channeled portion to said shank, a spring engaged in said spring seat and bearing downwardly on said foot and a toe mounted for vertical movement in said foot and also engaged by said spring, said channeled portion of the foot being entirely open at the rear and said spring being exposed for a considerable portion of its length in said open channeled portion, to enable removal and replacement of the same without disassembly of any parts.

9. A presser foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes, said foot having a front to rear channel in the bottom of the same, open at the front and receiving said yielding toe and an upwardly projecting lug on said yielding toe closing the open forward end of said channel.

10. A presser foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes, said foot having a front to rear channel receiving said yielding toe, an upwardly projecting lug on said yielding toe closing the forward end of said channel and a substantially U-shaped thread guard carried by the fixed toe and projecting toward said channel closing lug.

11. A presser foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes, said foot having a front-to-rear extending channel in the bottom of the same receiving said yielding toe, a spring thrusting the yielding toe downwardly, stop means limiting the extent of downward movement of the yielding toe and an upwardly projecting cover lug on said yielding toe substantially closing the forward end of the channel in the extent of movement thus permitted the yielding toe.

12. An edge foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes, said foot having a front to rear channel in the bottom of the same slidingly receiving said yielding too, a spring mounted in said foot for thrusting said yielding toe down- Wardly, stop means limiting the extent of downward movement of the yielding toe, said yielding toe having a guide edge substantially parallel to and laterally offset in respect to one edge of the channel in which said yielding toe is guided and means for readily effecting release of said yielding toe from said channel and whereby yielding toes with guide edges at different distances from the needle center may be readily substituted and used in said edge foot.

13. A split presser foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes, said foot having a horizontally extending channel in the bottom of the same receiving said yielding toe and further having a vertical channel in the side of the same, said yielding toe having a vertically extending bar at the outer edge of the same and slidingly engaged in said vertically extending channel, a removable cover plate closing said vertical channel and confining said bar therein, means carried partly by said bar for limiting vertical movement of the yielding toe and spring means acting on said yielding toe and including a vertically disposed coiled spring having a bearing at the top in the foot and bearing at the lower end against both a portion of the fixed toe and a portion of the yielding toe.

14. A split presser foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes, said presser foot having a pivotal mounting, a single spring for rocking said presser foot on its pivotal mounting and for thrusting downwardly the yielding toe, readily releasable means for removably securing said yielding toe in said presser foot and a thread guard mounted on said presser foot and extending between said relatively fixed and yielding toes.

15. A split presser foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes, said presser foot having a pivotal mounting, a single spring for rocking said presser foot on its pivotal mounting and for thrusting downwardly the yielding toe, readily releasable means for removably securing said yielding toe in said presser foot, said presser foot having a recess for the up and down movement of the toe, said recess being open to the front of the presser foot and said yielding toe having an upward extension forming a closure to said open forward end of the recess.

16. A split presser foot having relatively fixed and yielding toes, said presser foot having a pivotal mounting, a single spring for rocking said presser foot on its pivotal mounting and for thrusting downwardly the yielding toe, readily releasable means for removably securing said yielding toe in said presser foot, a thread guard mounted on said presser foot and extending between said relatively fixed and yielding toes, said presser foot having a recess for the up and down movement of the yielding toe, said recess being open to the front of the presser foot and said yielding toe having an upward extension forming a movable closure for said open front end of the recess.

MAX INGWER. 

